Tales from Heritage Farm

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Epilogue: This little story illustrates a spiritual lesson or parable, if you wish. The cat is like people, beloved by the farmer and his family. The farmer and his family represent God, the Father and God, the Son.

Velvet, the cat, was doing her own thing, trespassing on the farmer’s territory. It was natural for her look after her needs, but she was not aware that doing it on the farmer’s field was placing herself in danger. It is true that man is like this cat. He lives life on his own not aware of God’s authority and rule over his life or of His wishes for man’s welfare. Man does not recognize that in taking charge of his own life, he is trespassing in God’s territory. Man may even be ignoring God.

The farmer’s wife cared about the cat, a fact of which the cat was unaware. The wife expressed her concern for the cat’s welfare in words to her daughter. Similarly, when God sees that man is in danger of destruction, He says so. He provided His Word to communicate that to us. In John 1:1, it says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

The gospel continues in John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Just like farmer’s daughter coming to the cat to rescue it from danger in the hay field, Jesus came from His home in heaven to rescue mankind from the danger that he was in.

Real life situations can illustrate things about God, like it did in Velvet’s case. Though these are imperfect reflections of God Himself and His deeds, there is a perfect place to learn about Him. God’s Word, the Holy Bible, provides the information and the power to change our lives. Hebrews 4:12 says, “The Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper that any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (NKJV) I hope you were encouraged by Velvet’s story. Let God’s Word be your biggest encouragement.

We have a card that may bring you pleasure. It is called “Family Bible”. Find it in our store.

Unbeknownst to me, eyes had spotted me. The Farmer’s wife seated on the tractor saw me in flight as I pounced on my lunch. She also saw me disappear from sight.

The time to bale the hay in the field where I hunted had come. This field was next on her list. The tractor began to move along the rows of fluffed hay, pulling the baler that picked it up and packed the hay into small bales. Farmer’s daughter removed the bales from the baler and loaded and stacked them on the trailing hay wagon. This didn’t bother me, I stuck to my job of hunting.

Farmer’s wife and daughter both knew I was in the field, but since I had already dove beneath the hay, they could not figure out in which row I was hiding. Farmer’s wife temporarily parked the tractor. “I sure would hate to bale that cat!”

“Me, too,” her daughter agreed.

They began their job once again and baled more hay. The workers and machinery circled the hayfield several times. Still I remained cool and hid in my fluffy cover. All at once, another field creature happened my way. Farmer’s daughter spied my reaction. She lit off of the hay wagon running toward me.

She startled me so that I missed my target and ran for dear life. I left the field for my shed and my little ones. The tractor and baler kept moving ahead and cleaned up all the hay on that field. I am glad I did not stay there after all. I will try again there tomorrow, but with all of that hay gone, there is no place to hide. Hunting will be different, I might need to find a new place to work.

Hi there! I am a young, nimble cat. I live on a dairy farm…Heritage Farm. My name is Velvet.

My heritage here began when my grandpa, Mustache, settled here. His name came from his deep, black coat, highlighted on his muzzle with pure white patches that resembled a white mustache. My mother, another mostly black cat, had white beauty marks that made her stand out in a crowd. I came along resembling my mother. I have a velvety black coat with white slippers and a white bib on my chest. I am pretty cute. I have a small litter of kittens. So you can see that our heritage here is quite extensive.

My litter and I made a home in one of the farm sheds. The kittens have been exploring their world amongst the many hay bales that are stored for the calves to eat. They still depend on me for a lot of their care.

One sunny day, I left the shed in search of food for my belly. The farmer and his family have a neat field of hay growing a few feet away from my shed. So I went out there searching for my lunch. I particularly like to hide in the hay and wait for a juicy mouse to pass by.

The farmer had cut the hay several days earlier. But on this day, he rolled each row of hay into what looked like a long fluffy rope. That was all the more interesting for me. You see, the fluffed hay was taller and was an easier place in which to hide. So, that is just what I did.

I heard the rumbling of the farmer’s tractor shake the the ground beneath me. I got used to it, so I stayed in my hiding place waiting patiently for my dinner to walk by. All of a sudden, sure enough, a field mouse ambled into my space.

I jumped up above the hay and dove down to get it. What a easy way to eat! I did not have to drive-in to eat, my dinner drove-in to my place. I decided to stick around for a second helping. Once again, I crawled under the canopy of hay to wait.

Many things can be learned from the world we live in. During His life on Earth, Jesus advised, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:28b-30 NKJV) If, as He stated, we can learn things from things that grow in the field, it will benefit us to consider the fields.

As we worked bringing in the hay harvest, I particularly enjoyed the view. Elevated in the tractor seat, I get a wider view of the the landscape. On this particular day, we baled a hilly field. From the tractor seat, mounted on the rise of a hill, I saw acres of cut, dried hay neatly raked into rows awaiting the harvest. Between each row, stubble, alive and growing, remained. Fence lines sported colors from goldenrod and other wildflowers in bloom. Beyond the hayfield, acres of corn waved in the breeze. Still further in the distance rose hardwood forests.

Before this day came, rain loomed in the forecast. Steady sunshine was a must for the hay crop. Without the sun’s drying influence, the hay could mold in the storage shed or be unfit for storage altogether. With winter sure to come, feed for our cattle is a necessity. Waiting for the good crop and abundant sunshine came along with much tension and concern. How grateful we were that though rain was coming, the Lord parted the clouds for the morning and afternoon to bless us with the sun’s warming presence.

The cut, raked hay dried and baled well due the sun. The short stubble hay needed the sun for growth, as did the corn as it matured in the neighboring fields. Trees, off in the distance, craved sunshine for photosynthesis and the production of sugar to support their very lives.

I pondered this question. “In 3-square feet of the field, how many plants might be rooted and dependent on the sun.” Of course, I had no time to measure this exactly. But this question illustrated to me how massive an influence the sun has on the land. Not every plant which depends on the sun is the same or even similar. Their needs and growth differ. But this one sun affects each small plant or seed that embeds itself in the earth.

God is like that. So many individuals on Earth are similar in that they need Him. They are not all the same, but God supplies them with life itself. People have a vast amount of needs and yet, only this one God supplies all for everyone. He cares about each one of them.

I hope that this time of “considering the…fields” of hay helps you to picture what grows in the field and to understand more deeply how God reaches out everywhere and knows each of His creations.

Yesterday we baled again. We are still doing first crop hay. This is the latest we have had to work on first crop. We still have another spot of hay to bale.

In our eagerness to bale hay, we suffered a broken baler. My daughter hopped in the farm truck and drove out of the field back to the farm to fetch her dad. He is the mechanic we depend on to keep the machinery working. The sun’s heat bore down in the midday. I turned the tractor off and had some alone time out there in the field. I did not want to have a “do nothing” time, so I resorted to reviewing my memory verses from the Holy Bible. I recited several verses in tip-top shape, but sadly some were rusty.

Out of nowhere I heard a rustling sound. It sounded like a brisk wind coming through the drying leaves in the fall. My gaze followed the sound. A whirlwind touched down on our neatly raked hay and lifted some of it up 20-30 feet up in the air. Finally the swirling hay started dropping down back to the earth. Our neatly cleared hayfield had hay strewn over a large area.

“I saw that and I know you are here,” I told the Lord. What a treat to see the Lord demonstrate His power in my everyday life.

Visibly experiencing the Lord’s power and presence is special. But we don’t have to see it to believe it. In the Holy Bible, the apostle Paul says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Romans 1:16 (NKJV). The power of God is not only a visible thing oraction, it is the gospel of Christ. Believing that He has suffered death to pay for our sins and has risen showing His power over death to enables us to live eternally. This power never loses its power. That is real power. God uses the visible to show His power and He uses the invisible to demonstrate His power. You my not get to see a whirlwind, but you can read about the gospel and place your trust in the eternal gospel of Christ. You will see Him in the gospel and know that God is here.

We have a new grandchild. He is the first born child in his family. I have had the privilege of being on hand to help the family out as he gets established in nursing.

The parents have sought out the resources of family and professionals, to get the baby started off in good health. Counselors assist giving information on how to best feed him naturally. The teachers tell mothers and fathers the best way to work with their babies. They faithfully encourage the “doing” of it, not just the “”hearing” of it. In the Bible, James 1:22 encourages, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves.” To hear and do is superior to just hearing.

Babies crave the milk. God has given them that instinct. In some ways, God encourages us to be like babies. I Peter 2:1,2 says it this way, “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.” (NKJV) Rather than craving and feeding ourselves with such things as malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and all evil speaking, we are to feed our cravings as babes do. We are to satisfy ourselves with the pure food of God’s Word. That “pure milk” will produce healthy growth in our lives just as a baby’s milk does for him.

We want precious babies to grow and mature. God counts each of us a precious. He wants us to grow. Use the Word that He has provided for your growth and well-being. It will bring you to maturity.

The drawing by Wenda Grabau called “Newborn” is available in our store.

Easter commemorates the one day in history when Jesus put death in its place. It is evident from archeology, historical record, bureaus of vital statics, newspaper records, that those who live, eventually are overtaken by death. Death has been man’s enemy. Its authority over man has successfully overshadowed everyone for all time.

To conquer such a foe, someone had to experience it and overpower it by coming back to life. That is just what Jesus did. The historical record makes this very clear.

Now, some folks may argue that it was such a long time ago (nearly 2000 years) that Jesus’ resurrection is a myth. If that be the case, why would millions and billions of years make anyone consider some theory such as evolution to be valid? The historical records of the resurrection of Christ are recorded. The evidence can be examined and found to be true.

So the good news today is that Jesus rose from the dead and has not died again. He has authority even over death. He has the authority and desire to grant this same never-ending life to all of mankind. He desires this very thing for you.

The reason death got the upper hand, is that man sinned. That means he wandered away from God and chose to ignore or disobey Him. Isaiah 53:6 puts it this way, “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; …” To be just, restitution had to be made. Isaiah 53:6 goes on to say, “… and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” The one who bore the iniquity for us is Jesus. He experienced death on the cross, the penalty for sin. The payment was made.His resurrection broke sin’s(and death’s) chains and freed us to live for Him.

How can a person experience this freedom from sin and death that Jesus provided for us? Hebrews 11:6 tells us, ” But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” God requires that we have faith in Him. The apostle John wrote, ” For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

What will open the door to this new life?

A personal repentance (change of direction)

Confession of sin (agree with God that we are wrong and He is right)

Placing trust in Jesus’ death on the cross and in His resurrection (laying aside your efforts to earn righteousness and coming to Him by faith in Jesus)

My hope for you this Easter is that you personally believe that Jesus did indeed put death in its place. He deserves your trust and your devotion. How glad we can be that through Him the sting of death is gone and the grave is empty!

I read Matthew 25:37-40 (NASV) in the Bible this week. In this portion of scripture, Jesus is teaching a lesson to His disciples. He says,“Then therighteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked,andclothe You? When did we see Yousick or in prison, and come to You?’ The Kingwill answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.‘”

I pondered this statement for a time before my day got too busy. In the past I thought “one of these brothers” meant someone outside my home, maybe a stranger. As I tried to apply this lesson to my life, I questioned, “I don’t happen on the hungry or thirsty or those needing clothes. I don’t generally spend time with the sick or those in prison. How can I putthis scripture lesson into practice in my life?”

Jesus said in the verses, “The King said, ‘To the extent that you did it toONE of these brothers of mine.'”

“One of these brothers” of His could be a wife’s husband, couldn’t it? The answer came in questions as follows:

Does not my husband come in hungry? In this cold winter, does he not need foods to give him the energy he needs to work outdoors?

Often he comes in thirsty, do I have the liquids ready to quench his thirst?

Is he a stranger in my home? Do I make him feel that he is welcome and interesting or am I involved in my interests, ignoring his presence?

He needs work clothes daily. Do his jeans and shirts need mending or patches? Am I focusing on those needs?

If he gets sick, I will care for him. But am I doing all I can to prevent him from becoming ill?

I hope he does not feel uncomfortable and likes to be here in his home. Does he sense that I respect him as the head of our home?

Does he know he has my help and support? Am I following his lead?

I am sure Jesus, does want us to meet the needs of those outside of our homes. But let us also look for ways to serve the Lord right here at home.

A winter storm rages this morning as I write. Storms are a part of life. Though we don’t like its fury, our land needs the snow-cover it brings.

Storms of all kinds happen all over our world. There are those relating to weather, relationships, finances, physical challenges, mechanics, scheduling, etc. They are real. They are not fun.

This morning the storm brought to mind a story from the Holy Bible about Jesus. It is from Matthew 8:24-27, (NKJV)

“And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then Hisdisciples came to Him and woke Him, saying ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?‘ Then He arose a rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?'”

Is it not interesting that Jesus called the disciples’ faith small? Notice from their statement, they did not really know Jesus. The extent of His power, His spoken Word, had not occurred to them yet.

Mankind has much knowledge, but may still be in the dark as to the power of Jesus and God’s Word. How well do you know Him? Even disciples have much to learn. Disciple of Jesus or not, I challenge you to dig into the Holy Bible to search out the truth about this Great One that even the winds and the sea obey. Any storm you experience He can handle. Let it lead you to Him.

Another verse I have committed to memory is Leviticus 19:11 . It says,“Thou shalt not steal, neither deal falsely,neither lie one to another.”

Why, you might ask, does this verse encourage me? Since I try to do all it says anyway, what can I learn from this verse?

Let me tell you. I Peter 1:16 says “As it is written, ‘Be ye holy, for I am holy.'” This quotes God’s very words. He commands us to be like Him. So when He instructs us, in Leviticus 19:11, to not steal, not deal falsely, and not lie to one another, He reveals to us what He is like.

God does not steal. He does not deal falsely. He does not lie. He will not steal from our lives, He gives to them. He does not dealfalsely with us, He is righteous. He does not lie to us, He honestly tells us the truth. Because of His nature, I can trust Him.

Doesn’t He sound likethe sort of friend you long to have? If you don’t know Him as your personal friend and Savior, confess your sin and your need of Him. Place your trust in Jesus Christ. Give your life to Him today. Your relationship to Him will start and as you spend time in His Word, He will instruct you and reveal Himself to you.

This Bible verse from Leviticus is filled with good instruction to use in directing our lives, but it also paints a picture of the very God I serve. Through it I can know him better.